ON THE KILLER’S TRAIL
by Alice Openshaw
On the Killer’s Trail
COMING November 17, 2026
From Crooked Lane Books
On the Killer’s Trail
by Alice Openshaw
A police sergeant investigates a murder victim whose life seems eerily similar to her own.
Perfect for fans of The God of the Woods and Heartwood.
Thirty-one-year-old Police Sergeant Penny Maclean has fallen into a routine at work. Speaking at school assemblies, chasing runaway dogs—it’s all beginning to feel stale. So when the popular wife of a local doctor is found dead on Halloween night, Penny jumps at the chance to investigate.
But the more she knows, the more unsettled she becomes. She and the murdered woman have a lot in common; they even share a love of rural life and animals. Still, unremarkable as the victim’s life appears at first glance, Penny can’t shake the feeling that the woman had a secret. After all, Penny has her own complicated past.
As she hunts the killer, Penny unearths secrets that pull her into the dark side of rural Maine. She only knows one thing for certain—she must discover the truth before the chain of violence claims another victim.
An ordinary wife and mother. A small idyllic New England town. A crime that shatters the public image.
About Me
My love of mysteries began at the age of ten with Perry Mason books from the town library. I earned a B.A. from Middlebury College and an M.L.S. from Vanderbilt University. Before turning to writing, I instilled a love of books in others as a librarian and an adult education English teacher. I lived in rural Maine for thirty years where I raised three wonderful children and a variety of animals on a small farm. I now live near Cape Cod with my husband and my tuxedo cat, Frankie. I am an active member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.
Rural Maine: My Life and Inspiration for the Book
The inspiration for ON THE KILLER’S TRAIL came from the years I lived on a farm in rural Maine. It was a wonderful time raising a family with horses, goats, cats, rabbits, even a llama! Here I am holding an Angora goat kid.